Never Too Late
by lilmoosic011
Summary: The End of The Swan Princess III from Derek's Point-of-View.


**_Hello all! This is just a little idea that popped into my head during English 104 today. Hope you like it :)_**

_Sonus:_

_For my DVR, Quit recording episodes of "Secret Life of the American Teenager"._

_I hate you._

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**The Swan Princess 3: DPOV AND Alternate Ending **

_Inspired by the Three Days Grace song "Never Too Late"_

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There was no wind stirring up the air. There was no sun to evaporate the tears.

No love to chase away the pain and heartache.

Silence remained for minutes, days, months or even millennia. Derek could not tell. He was numb. He could feel nothing but the dense cloud of helplessness, guilt, and sadness that enveloped him.

He was alone.

Figuratively, as the also grieving Jean-Bob, Puffin, Speed, and Whizzer were letting out sounds of despair as well.

But he felt alone. As if everyone in the world had been exterminated but him.

That's how it always felt when he was without Odette…but it was magnified immensely this time. She was not coming back, this he knew.

Derek's willpower gave out as he somehow ended up crying himself to sleep on the edge of the cliff; the animals still surrounded him, crying also.

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When he opened his eyes again, hours later, the sun was teetering on the horizon, offering a sliver of light into the darkness that surrounded them. Hoping it was a dream, he looked around him, expecting to find himself in his own bed with his precious Odette dozing peacefully next to him…. but no. Fate was much too cruel to allow that.

Attempting to pull himself to his feet, Derek had to hold onto one of the broken stalagmites that jutted from the floor for stability, one that he had shattered in his fit of rage only a few hours ago. He was unable to maintain his balance and fell once again to his knees.

Derek felt worthless, weak.

Pathetic.

He began once again to sob uncontrollably. It was more than just a mental and emotional pain. It was as if someone had stabbed him in the back, and was twisting the knife slowly to prolong the stinging pain. Puffin kindly inquired if Derek was injured, but Derek was unable to respond. He could not even shake his head negatively.

It was criminal that Odette was dead. It was sinful that someone would take away something, someone that was so beautiful, so kind, and so gentle away from Earth. But Derek knew, deep in his heart, that Odette would not want him to be suffering as he was.

It was then that Derek had an epiphany. _What would Odette want?_

Echoes of prior conversations entered his thoughts.

"_Promise me you'll destroy those notes Derek…please." She begged._

"_Nothing good can come from those notes, Derek. You must destroy them."_

"_You know she's right…She's always right." Rodgers had pointed out._

She was always right. She would always be right. That was why he loved her so much, was because she was always there to guide him down the right path. Now he was without, and he was lost. Something clicked in his mind. He knew what he had to do.

He had to destroy the notes.

It took a few minutes of mental preparation, but Derek was finally able to stand on his own two feet and stable himself. Using the cave entrance walls as a railing, he made his way back into the mountain hideout, not noticing that the trio-now quartet followed closely behind.

Derek stumbled a couple times on his trek, but he made it all the way back into the cave without falling. He looked around briefly, noticing that the fire, the main source of light, had smoldered out. Only a few hung torches remained dimly lit. He walked over and threw a log onto the fire and tended it until it roared back to life.

He took the orb, and the few pieces of the enchantments that were left out from actuating the orb, and of course, the small locked chest, and threw them into a pile in the middle of the floor. He took the torch off of the wall and held the end of it into the fire until it lit.

Derek figured it only appropriate that he say something before he actually lit them. Like wind through the trees, he let the words flow.

"If you can hear me Odette…I just want you to know," he paused. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I love you, Odette." He sobbed and let the torch fall out of his hands onto the pile in front of him, sank to his knees, and dropped his head into his hands. "I love you so much!" he shouted so that it echoed through the cave walls.

"Please come back to me, Odette. I can't live without you." He whispered to himself as he let the sobs take over.

As Derek wept, Jean-Bob, Puffin, Speed, and Whizzer witnessed the fire beginning to rise higher. For the first time since Puffin informed Derek of Odette's fate, he actually heard Puffin say something. "Derek, look! The flames!"

Derek looked up and saw that the flames had formed a wall in front of him. Stunned, somehow Derek was able to stand and read the words that the magic in the fire was beginning to form.

"_All the curses are now broken,_

_All victims' lives restored,_

_Now you may be with your beloved_

_Forevermore."_

These words faded, and were replaced with a new set.

"_Do not take for granted,_

_The one that you have lost,_

_For the strongest bonds between you, _

_Are friendship, love, and trust."_

Once again, the words were replaced.

"_You've earned another chance,_

_With the one you love, _

_Here's to a long, happy life,_

_Sincerely, the man above."_

A final set of words was inscribed as the fire changed from its fluorescent glow, to a cool blue, taking away the heat with it.

"Step into the flames."

Derek was reluctant, only reaching his arm out into it. It was cool to the touch and his hand disappeared into the portal. He motioned for the others to follow him through.

Once they all entered the portal, the fire imploded and disappeared. Just then, an earthquake shook the mountain's core, collapsing it and destroying all the remnants of the Forbidden Arts forever.

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Derek and the others walked through a dark tunnel for what seemed like eternity even with them all at a running pace. Finally they reached a door. Derek did not hesitate and threw it open as fast as he could. He stepped out into the cool darkness of the early morning. When they all exited, the door disappeared just as the fire had.

"Where are we?" Jean-Bob asked.

"I'll fly up and see what I can." Puffin volunteered, flying into the sky to get a better view of their surroundings.

"Why, Swan Lake is just over there!" he announced, pointing to the west, where he could see the towers of Derek and Odette's castle.

"Let's go." Derek said, heading off in that direction as fast as he could. When he stopped, they had reached the edge of the lake, Swan Lake in full view.

"Odette?" Derek shouted. No answer.

"Odette?" the rest of them began to call.

"Over here." A wonderfully familiar voice resounded. Their heads all jerked toward the lake where a familiar-looking swan was nestled in the faint glow of the moon.

As in the past, the water and magic enveloped the swan, and for the last time, Odette emerged with a victorious and proud smile on her face. "Thank you, Derek. You did it."

Derek couldn't move. He was in total disbelief. "I-…I…"

"So literate, as usual." Odette joked, walking up to him and fiercely grabbed his shirt, pulling him into a passionate kiss, striking reality into him. Derek's arms melted her to him as they kissed for what seemed like forever and a day, but it still wasn't long enough to satisfy their being apart.

"How are you-alive?" Derek asked, trailing kisses up and down her face and neck.

"When you burned the notes, every curse was lifted, including the conjuring of Zelda's fireball and her transforming me into a swan, which of course, we just broke for the _third _time, mind you."

"And the last." Derek assured. "Oh, Odette. I was so stupid. I've taken your love for granted too many times. You mean more to me than anything in the world." He confessed.

"Derek?"

"Yes, Odette?"

"I know you tried to protect me from that fireball. I saw you jump in front of it to sacrifice yourself. It's so amazing to know that you love me that much; that you'd put your own life on the line for me. I love you." She said, kissing him passionately.

"Do you want to go back to the castle?" Derek asked. "It's quite cold out."

"Nah, let's stay out. It's too late to wake anyone up." Odette said, sitting on the ground.

Derek smiled sat next to her and took her hand. "It's never too late."

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**_R & R SIL VOUS PLAIT!!_**


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